‘CU46’ and ‘ASL’: Police issue list of slang terms used by teenagers to help parents spot signs of grooming

includes 200 commonly used phrases and hashtags which teens regularly use to communicate (Photo: Shutterstock)

Claire Schofield

Published:11:39 amFebruary 19, 2019

Police have issued a list of secret slang terms and acronyms used by teenagers online in a bid to help parents spot the telltale signs of internet grooming and abuse.

The list was released by Nottinghamshire Police and includes 200 commonly used phrases and hashtags which teens regularly use to communicate.

Spotting the risks

Among the list are various phrases surrounding mental health, sex and drug usage, including terms such as CU46, meaning ‘See You For Sex’, LMIRL, meaning ‘Let’s Meet In Real Life’, and NIFOC, meaning ‘Naked in Front of a Computer’.

Also included are a number of hashtags which are considered a cause for concern, such as #ana, for anorexia; #deb, for depression; and #sure for suicide.

The force are warning parents to familiarise themselves with the phrases in the hope it will help to keep more teens safe online.

A Nottinghamshire Police spokesperson said: “It can sometimes seem like teenagers are speaking a different language and, while it’s tempting to try and keep them from interacting online, the reality is that it’s as much a part of their life as eating their dinner or brushing their teeth.

“Instead, you should make sure you’re aware of the risks of some of the main social networking sites and have the relevant conversations with your children.

“It might seem that grooming has become much more prevalent in recent years, but the truth is it’s simply become easier.

“Now, it’s much easier for someone to get access to multiple vulnerable young people at one time, and the only tool they need is a computer or smartphone.

“This is not supposed to terrify you or your children, but it is important that your familiarise yourself with online safety.”

Children’s charity NSPCC also emphasised the importance of parents keeping up with the latest slang and hashtags to help keep youngsters safe.

An NSPCC spokesman said: “It is important for parents to keep up-to-date with the type of content, features and risks, as well as know the minimum age of the sites and games their children are using.

“Particularly, when we know one in four young people have been contacted over social media by an adult they don’t know, with a third of these children 13 and under.”

The full list of popular teenage slang terms and hashtags

Warning flags:

#ana – anorexia

#deb – depression

#sue – suicide

#svv – self-harming behaviour

#thinsp – thinspiration (photos or messages that inspire an effort to become thin)

9 – a parent is watching

420 – marijuana

ASL – age, sex, location

CD9 – parents are around

Crow – cannabis

CU46 – see you for sex

Daddy – can mean a partner who takes good care of you affectionately or someone with great influence and power over you

Down in the DM – short for plans in their social media or texts for an upcoming sexual hook-up

F2F or FTF – face to face

FWB – friends with benefits

FYEO – for your eyes only

GNOC – get naked on camera

Hooking up – having sex

‘I know a way you can earn money fast’ – a possible way of asking for photos/webcam access or a way to get information to blackmail a young person

‘I know someone who can get you a modelling job’ – a possible way of asking for photos and flattering the young person

IRL – in real life

IWSN – I want sex now

Let’s go private – leave the public chatroom and create a private chat or move to instant-messaging/texting

LMIRL – let’s meet in real life

KPC – keep parents clueless

Merked – really drunk or beaten up or getting found out or getting told off

MIRL – meeting in real life

Molly – ecstasy/MDMA (unless they really do have a friend called Molly! Context is everything)

MOOS – member of the opposite sex

MOS – mum over shoulder

Moving to (someone) – approaching, either aggressively or romantically

Netflix ‘n Chill – to meet under the pretence of watching Netflix/TV together when actually planning to meet for ‘making out’ or sex

NIFOC – naked in front of computer

NSFL – not safe for life

NSFW – not safe for work

P911 or P999 – parents are watching

POS – parents over shoulder

Pre-ing – pre-drinking

RU/18 – are you over 18?

Sket – insulting term used towards girls

Smash – to have casual sex

Swipe right – term of approval derived from dating app Tinder

Thirsty – being desperate for something

Trolling – fooling someone – often used when people are commenting nasty abuse online

Wavey – drunk or high

‘Where’s your computer in your house?’ – possibly a way of checking to see if parents might be around

‘Who/What’s your favourite band/designer/film/gear?’ – possibly a way of trying to get to know more so that they can offer gifts

Wired – drug induced paranoia

WYRN – what’s your real name?

‘You are the love of my life’ – possibly a way of flattering a young person and creating an emotional bond with them

Zerg – to gang up on someone

Terms to keep an eye on:

4eae – for ever and ever

AND – any day now

AF – as f**k

Aired – ignoring someone

Are you parring me? – are you showing me disrespect?

B – babe (can be just a friend)

Bae – short for ‘baby’ and used as a term of endearment for a significant other such as a boyfriend or girlfriend. Short for ‘before anyone else’

Basic – lacking originality

Begfriend – someone who sucks up to someone else

BFN – bye for now

BOL – be on later

Bookie – weird or disgusting

Booted – left behind or dumped

Butters – ugly person

Bye Felicia – dismissive term when you want an annoying person to go away

Curve – to reject someone romantically

Dime – someone who is extremely good looking

DM – direct message

Ghost – ghosting someone is to completely ignore someone suddenly, usually as a nasty way of breaking up with someone

GLHF – good luck, have fun

HT or H/T – heard through

HAK – hugs and kisses

IANAL – I am not a lawyer

ILY or ILU – I love you

IU2U – it’s up to you

IYKWIM – if you know what I mean

J4F – just for fun

JIC – just in case

J/K – just kidding

Kicked – left behind

Low key – a warning that what they’re saying isn’t something they want everyone to know